Oil-well casing head



April 29, 1930. w. E. KEENAN OIL WELL CASING HEAD Filed Aug. 30. 1928 Wz'lzz'am E. Keenan,

atented Apr. 29, 1930 UNITED STATES mm 1 KEENAN, or LEFORS, rnxns, ASSIGNOB or ONE-HALF '10 JAMES M. THOMAS, 012 PAMPA, 'rnxns OIL-WELL casme HEAD Application filed August 30, 1928. Serial No. 303,082.

is to provide a casing head structure through 30 casing support.

which under reaming operations may be conveniently and effectively carried out and in which a ground joint is provided and maintained in tight condition by an inner string Another object vide an improved type of casing head employing a gland anchor which, in addition to maintainingfa packing gland in place, acts to secure the casing in position in the well.

The invention broadly comprises a head body of cylindrical formation having the central passage therethrough of greater diameter adjacent one end than at the other end and with a shoulder formed about the inner face thereof between the sections of the passage. Inthe smaller end of the passage, a couplin nipple is secured which is designed to threa ably connect with an outer string casing and adapted to be extended into the other end is a collar member interiorly threaded to engage one end of an inner string casing, the collar at its inner end being of increased diameter and adapted to rest upon and compress a packing against said shoulder. A land surrounds the collar and holds the pacing in place against the enlarged portion thereof, thus securing the collar in the head and at the same time holding a packing in position to prevent leakage of gas from the well between the collar and the head.

This packing is assisted by the acking which is compressed between the mterior shoulder of the head and the collar, the collar being secureiy. held against the packing by the weight 0 the inner string casing carried thereby.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accomdrawin forming part of this specication, with t e understanding, however, thatthe invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showin of the drawing but may be changed or mo ified so long as of the invention is to prosuch changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the casing. head structure embodying the present invention, showing an inner and outer pipe string attached thereto;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section of the head showing the guiding bell nipple attached thereto.

Referrin to the drawing in detail, the numeral 1 in icates the body of the head, the same being provided with the usual longitudinal passage therethrough as indicated at 2, this passage being of materially greater width-at one end as indicated at 3 than at the other end.

The portion of greater width of the passage opens through the upper end of the head and extends throughout substantially half the as at 6 for the reception of one end of a coupling nipple 7 which is designed to be connected with the outer string casing of the well, a portion of which is indicated by the numeral 8 by the casing coupling 9. The nipple 7 is preferably welded to the lower end of the head as at 10 to hold the same from turning or unscrewing when removing the head. I

At the inner end of the portion of smallest diameter of the passage 2, there are formed the screw-threads 11 which are designed to receive one end of a guiding bell nipple of the character indicated by the numeral 12, when insert-ing into the well outer casing through the head, the inner string casing 13. After the inner string casing is in posltion the bell nipple 12 is removed fromthe head and then there is attached to the upper end of the inner string casing the casing supporting collar 14 which, as shown, is of substan-. tially the same overall diameter throughout except for the laterally projecting surrounding shoulder formed at the inner end, which shoulder is designed to rest upon a suitable copper or asbestos-gasket 16 positioned upon the ledge 4 upon the interior of the head.

It will thus be seen that the inner string casing is entirely supported by the supporting collar 14 and the weight of the casing holds the shoulder 15 of the collar securely 5 against' the packin 16 thus makin the joint between the shoulder and ledge o the body head gas and liquid tight.

The upper end of the casin supporting collar 14 is interiorly threade as at 17 to receive the well casing-nipple, a portion of which is indicated b the numeral 18.

The upper end 0 the body of the head is provided with the laterally projecting surrounding flange 19 over which the lateral flange 20 of a packing land 21 positions when the gland is exten ed into the upper end of the head between the same and the collar 14.

A suitable packing 22 is interposed between the lower edge of the gland 21 and the inclined upper edge 23 of the shoulder 15 and this packing is suitably compressed by extending bolts 24 through the superposed flanges 19 and 20 and drawing the flan, as together thereb From the oregoin description, it will be readily seen that wit a casing head of the character herein described, a tight leak-proof joint can be set up between the same andthe inner string casing, which goint can be readil separated for renewal 0 the packing. t will also be seen that the packing of the joint is maintained tight through the application thereto of the weight of the inner string well casing which is supported by the su portin collar, in turn' supported by the pat: mg an flange formed about the wall of the passage through the head.

In the event of the development of a leak between the bod 1 and the collar 14, replacement of the pac 'n 22 may-be made wlthout liftin the casing, a that would be necessary woul be to loosen the .bolts 2!, lift u the gland 20 and replace the packing t ere- 55 beneath.-

Having thus described myinvention, what;

I claim is .1. An oil well-casing head comprising a centrallybored body having a surrounding ledge in the wall of the bore, means for securing the body at one end of the bore to an outer string casing, a collar insertible into the bore from the other end with the inner edge opposing said led e, means for attachll ing an inner string caslng to the collar to be supported thereby, a packing between the said inner edge 0 the collar and said ledge, packing surrounding the collar adjacent said inner edge, and means working between the collar and the body for compressing said last packing.

2. A casing head comprising a body having a bore formed longitudinally therethrough, a portion of said bore bein of materiall less diameter than the remain er thereof, a ange formed about the wall of said bore at the inner end of the portion of smaller diameter and connecting the same with the remainder of the bore, means for securing the smaller An oil well casing head, comprising a centrally bored body formed interiorly to provide a surrounding ledge, means for securing the body at one end of the bore to an outer string casing, a collar insertableinto the bore from the other end, a laterally projecting shoulder surrounding the inner end of the collar and disposed over said ledge, said collar being interiorly threaded to facilitate the attachment of an inner string casing thereto to be supported thereby, a packing between said shoulder and said ledge, packing surrounding the collar above said shoulderand' resting thereon, and means working between the collarand the body whereby the last mentioned packing may be compressed against the shoulder.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

WILLIAM, E. KEENANL 

